Other things to do

Take notes. You'll end up generating lots of details, and it can be hard to keep track of it all. You'll need to figure out the best tool and the level of detail that works for you, but things you might want to write down include:

NPC names (and traits, and relevant relationships)
Historical events that you and players establish (and when/where/who)
Interesting details that you don't want to forget
A summary of events each session

You can write up formal session recaps to share with your players, but mostly these notes are for you. Write only as much as you'll find useful.

Draw maps. Lots of maps. Not just as part of your prep, but as a prop or a point of reference during play. When a fight breaks out and there's a lot going on, throw a quick sketch of the terrain on a whiteboard or a piece of paper (or throw out some minis if you have them). When they explore a ruin, draw a rough map (or encourage them to) to help establish the physical space. When they go to a new steading, give them a map of the different districts and parts of town.

Add to existing maps, too. Put the PCs' homes on the steading map. Add points of interest that come up during play. Draw the course of their journey on the Vicinity or World's End maps.

Leave blanks in your maps and in your prep, to be filled in during play or at a later time. Leave yourself things to wonder about. If a question occurs to you, you don't have to answer it (or ask the players to answer it) right now. Leave it as a blank,

Keep things moving. Don't let the momentum of the game sputter out. Frame scenes aggressively, zooming in and out to match the level of interest (yours and the players'). When nothing's happening, either make a GM move or skip ahead in time to where something interesting is happening.

Involve everyone. Keep moving the spotlight around the table. Make sure everyone gets some good screen time. Be explicit about who you're addressing, and don't be afraid to make interrupting players wait. "Blodwen, you see… Brian, hold on, I'm talking to Hobbes."

Take breaks. They let everyone reflect on what's happened and think about what they want to do next. They let you—the real-world people hanging out—get to know each other better or catch up on realworld stuff or just joke around. That stuff 's important, too.

Engage your players in world-building, and make sure they realize the setting is theirs as much as it is yours. When they ask you something about the world, and you don't have an answer at the ready, turn it back on them. "Good question. Blodwen, what DO the people of Stonetop do with their dead?"

Sometimes, disclaim decision making. Put an outcome in the character's hands ("He's a bloody mess, but not dead. You can still save him. Do you?"). Discuss an outcome with the players ("What do you think? Is Andras alive or dead?"). Let the dice decide ("You know what, roll Death's Door for him."). Let your NPCs decide, based on their instincts, their wants and needs, your notes, and your own sense of their internal logic. ("No, he's not the type to come back as a ghost, so… yeah, he's dead.")

Box

The Die of Fate

One way to disclaim decision making is to let the dice decide. Often, that means letting the results of a player's move determine what happens. But you can also use the Die of Fate.

The Die of Fate is just a die roll, usually a d6, with a lower result meaning bad and a higher result meaning good. Have a player roll the Die of Fate when you don't have a particular opinion on what should happen or how something should go, and/or when it's just a matter of luck. How's the weather today? What do they encounter en route? How many uses of supplies can they loot? In general, a 1-2 is bad, a 3-4 is neutral or mixed, and 5-6 is pretty good.

Sometimes, you'll prep a set of results for the Die of Fate. For example, what happens when they make camp?

1 Crinwin attack camp!
2-3 Crinwin try to lure someone out of camp.
4-5 They're out there, just watching you.
6 You avoid their notice.

Don't feel limited to a d6, especially not when you've got a table of results set up in advance. If you've got 12 interesting outcomes, have them roll a d12.

In this section

What not to do